Gerald Coetzee is all set to return to the longest format of the game after almost two years, as he replaces Anrich Nortje in the South Africa side for the final match of the ongoing ICC World Test Championship 2025/27 series against Australia.
The remainder of the side is the same as the one that featured in the brilliant innings win in Gqeberha.
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Temba Bavuma (c), Aiden Markram, Marques Ackerman, David Bedingham, Matthew Breetzke, Ryan Rickelton (wk), Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Simon Harmer, Gerald Coetzee, Kagiso Rabada.
Coetzee made his debut against West Indies at Centurion in February 2023, taking three wickets, and last appeared in November 2024, against Sri Lanka. He has played four Tests and taken 14 wickets at 23.57.
Already an important member of the South Africa white-ball setup, with particular impact in the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2023, where he was South Africa’s leading wicket-taker with 20 wickets in eight matches, the pacer will look to supplment his side in the all-important Cape Town Test.
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Australia took the first Test at Kingsmead, Durban, by 214 runs. They posted 390 and 314/6 declared, and South Africa fell short chasing 421, bowled out for 206 after scoring 284 in the first innings.
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The hosts hit back emphatically at St George’s Park, Gqeberha, winning the second Test by an innings and 31 runs. They declared on 425/9, then bowled Australia out for 99 and, after enforcing the follow-on, for 295.
Skipper Temba Bavuma led from the front with 179, an innings for which he won the Player of the Match. Another decisive factor in the Test was Marco Jansen, who displayed all-rounder perfection, following up a sensational 85 with the bat with a haul of 6/67 in the Test.
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The result could have massive ramifications on both the ICC World Test Championship standings and the ICC Men’s Test Team Rankings.
A South Africa win will displace Australia from the No.1 spot in both the standings and the Test rankings.
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At present, Australia remain top of the 2025-27 World Test Championship standings with 108 points from 12 Tests, a points percentage of 75.00. New Zealand are second on 72.22 from six Tests.
On the other hand, South Africa sit third on 66.67, with 48 points from six Tests.
Series schedule
First Test: 9-13 October, Durban (Australia won by 214 runs)
Second Test: 18-22 October, Gqeberha (South Africa won by an innings and 31 runs)
Third Test: 27-31 October, Cape Town
ICC World Test ChampionshipNewsMen’s NewsSouth AfricaGerald Coetzee
